Depictions of the Hanging of Haman in the Illustrated Esther Scrolls

The oldest currently known examples of the decorated Esther scrolls are dating back to the 2^nd half of the 16^th century, while the scrolls illustrated with the narrative scenes appeared in the 2^nd decade of the 17^th century and their first examples contain, among others, the episodes of hanging of Haman and hanging of his ten sons (Esther 7:10 and 9:14). These scenes (sometimes they were combined) were depicted in most of the scrolls created between the 17^th and 19^th centuries, regardless of their origin and the technique used to adorn them. Such illustrations were most frequently placed either in upper/lower margins or were incorporated into the columns listing the names of Haman’s sons. The representation of the gallows in the form of a tree that is known from the Hebrew medieval illuminated codices disappeared and starting from the oldest examples of the illustrated Esther scrolls, the gallows were depicted as wooden built structures. The issue will be discussed based on the selected representations of these scenes incorporated into the scrolls originated in various milieus. The discussion will be focused on the non-standard, even surprising, graphic solutions used in them (e.g. scenes showed in the convention of a puppet theater, Haman who is smoking a pipe while hanging on the gallows, small gallows located at the circumference of the circle), as well as on the unusual and symbolic elements they contain (e.g. a snake who executes the vizier).